Wonder Woman Wears Pants!

Here it is folks, thanks to EW.com, the first look at the new TV Wonder Woman... in pants. This image looks so off for so many reasons - most obviously the pants, but the blue boots and metallic finish are also quite striking. Right now I am not sure this is going to even last as long as The Cape did with 9 aired episodes and the finale making an internet only debut. Can't wait to hear the theme song.

Retrospective 1991

Although its never good to be a D-lister, at least in 1991 that status alone wouldn't keep you off the screen if you were a superhero. In particular, swamp monsters were all the rage.

Toxic Crusaders



The animated for kids Toxic Crusaders, centered around the R-rated Toxic Avenger AKA Toxie featured hoped to cash in on the environmental movement ala Captain Planet. It earned just 13 episodes -though only 5 aired.

Swamp Thing


Around the same time as Toxic Crusaders, Swamp Thing attempted a lazy cash grab, but once again the series was short lived. And the intro theme was just brutal.


Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze

As if audiences couldn't get enough of green mutants, the Turtle sequel arrived in the summer of '91. The first movie was a great success resulting in a rushed production for the sequel arriving just 51 weeks later.



The tone of the movie was significantly lightened and Vanilla Ice was invited to make a lengthy appearance rapping "Go Ninja, Go Ninja, Go!" The sequel was not as big a success as the original, but it still pocketed $78 million on a $25 million budget opening the floodgates for the inevitable 3quel.

Rocketeer

The Rocketeer, on the other hand was not a success. This much underrated period film about a Nazi fighting hero was directed by Joe Johnston who would go on to direct the the 2011 live action Captain America film.

Darkwing Duck

Aside from TMNT 1991's only other modest success was Disney's animated DuckTales spin-off Darkwing Duck starring Drake Mallard.

Power Pack

In the 90's Marvel Comics really struggled in the live action department. The slew of low budget trash (Captain America, Fantastic Four, Generation X) that got greenlit is remarkable. Even more remarkable is how the company has turned things around around. A pilot for Power Pack about a team of super powered kids did somehow manage to get made, but it was pretty iffy. Believe it or not, before Marvel Studios struck gold with Iron Man, a Power Pack live action film was one of the films named to launch the new studio. Yikes.

She-Hulk

Although a She-Hulk TV movie, following up on the Death of the Incredible Hulk movie from 1990, never did get that enviable greenlight, a promotional photo shoot gives us a glimpse of what could have been. Once again, not Marvel's finest hours.

Wonder Woman Pilot Peeks

Shooting for the Wonder Woman TV pilot is underway and we have our first looks of the shows logo (thanks ComicBookMovie.Com) and the Amazon herself complete with a black hair dye job. I do have high hopes for this show, but so far it sounds more likely to follow in the footsteps of Birds of Prey or NBC's own The Cape than long running Smallville or frankly even the original three season lasting 70's Wonder Woman.

Spotlight on Mera

Originally the King of the Seas, Aquaman suffered an incredible fall from grace becoming the laughing stock of the Justice League thanks to his Super Friends portrayal. As of late, thanks to increased exposure and acceptance of Aquaman's supporting cast, the hero is being propelled back toward the A list. None has contributed more to Aquaman's revival than the Queen of the Sea, Aquaman's wife, Mera.

First appearing in Aquaman #11 in 1963, Mera has long swam by the side of Aquaman.

Mera made her first onscreen appearance in The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure in the episode War Of The Water Worlds in 1967.

Mera wouldn't resurface until Justice League's 2001 episode The Enemy Below.

In 2008, Mera did more than just appear alongside Aquaman. First appearing in Evil Under the Sea! it wasn't until Aquaman's Outrageous Adventure! that we finally saw Mera in action fighting the Penguin along side Aquaman and Batman.

Mera made her live action debut during Smallville's 10th season in the episode Patriot where she demonstrated super powers including super strength and hydrokenesis like Aquaman.

Most recently, during the 2011 Young Justice episode Downtime, Mera fought alongside Aqualad, Tempest, and Aquagirl. Mera's portrayal in Young Justice completed the character's onscreen transformation from damsel in distress during her first appearance in 1967 to full blown warrior. Its likely this is not the last we will see of Mera who has slowly but surely become a more credible threat than her orange shirted husband.

Onscreen History of Black Manta

Although Aquaman's level of street cred has fluctuated over the years, his nemesis, Black Manta has remained a menacing force for evil. Black Manta first appeared onscreen in 1967, the same year as his comic book debut, as a regular foe in the Filmation animated Superman / Aquaman Hour of Adventure series.

El Mantador would next appear as one of the goons in Lex Luthor's Legion of Doom during the Challenge of the Super Friends run in 1978.


It would be over 25 years before the diabolical diver would return. In fact, because of an odd embargo against Aquaman related characters appearing outside of an in development live action Aquaman show titled Mercy Reef, Black Manta's appearances in 2005 during Justice League Unlimited remain unofficial. The character formerly known as Black Manta took the stage name Devil Ray, though the it was pretty obvious who he really was. It really is a shame though that Mercy Reef never got the greenlight as a live action Manta, or as I call him "Sea Vader" could be pretty amazing.


Black Manta officially returned in 2008's Evil Under the Sea! adventure of Batman: The Brave and the Bold. He would make a few follow up appearances including a musical appearance in the acclaimed Music Meister episode.


His parallel Earth, though unnamed counterpart (Orange Manta) also appeared in the Brave and the Bold episode Deep Cover for Batman!


Black Manta appeared in a couple of cameos during animated films. His head floated by in 2008's Justice League: The New Frontier.



And he made a full body appearance in 2009's Superman / Batman: Public Enemies.

Most recently, Black Manta surfaced in Young Justice's Downtime, complete with war machine like shoulder mounted rocket launcher, where he attempted to free Starro from underwater imprisonment. The extent of his nefarious involvement with evil organization The Light remains to be seen.

UPDATE: Before all was said and done, Black Manta made a quick cameo as member of the Legion of Doom in Smallville's penultimate episode, Prophecy

Like Captain America, We Can Now See Red

Now thats an ugly mug.

Before X-Men Sucked... New X-Posters

Aside from the fact that X-Men First Class looks to really confuse X-film continuity (especially if the Wolverine movie is also supposed to exist in this same time line) these are pretty awesome posters.